Winthrop to Receive $1 Million Planned Gift for Scholarships

Quick Facts

Thomas G. Slaughter of Charlotte, N.C., honors his family and hometown of Hickory Grove, S.C. with major gift. The Slaughter-Wilkerson Endowed Scholarship will go to students from York County.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop University students from York County, and particularly Hickory Grove, S.C., will benefit from a $1.2 million planned gift from Thomas G. Slaughter of Charlotte, N.C.

Slaughter’s legacy gifts will be made through a charitable remainder trust and a bequest provision in his will to the Slaughter-Wilkerson Endowed Scholarship, which was fully endowed in 2007. The scholarship was awarded for the first time in the fall of 2008 to a special education major from York County. Slaughter’s planned gifts will further augment the existing endowed scholarship.

He endowed the scholarship in memory and in honor of his mother, Sally Allison Slaughter and his sister, Sara Emily Slaughter, both Winthrop alumnae; and his cousin, Tommy W. Wilkerson and their hometown of Hickory Grove. During his career, Slaughter taught chemistry each school year and worked as a pharmacist each summer. In giving to Winthrop, he makes a gift in support of the many York County students who attend Winthrop and feels that his support can do the most good for talented students from York County.

The Slaughter-Wilkerson Endowed Scholarship will provide scholarships for students from York County with first consideration given to students from Slaughter’s hometown of Hickory Grove. Such scholarship support will allow talented students to pursue their educational goals in any of the fully accredited programs at Winthrop.

“I feel the best thing that ever happened to me was growing up in York County, and I think that Winthrop University is one of the best things to ever happen to York County,” Slaughter said. “I know that my gift will help scores of students from Hickory Grove and other areas of York County receive an exceptional education that will allow them to pursue successful careers and give back to their community.”

In recognition of Slaughter’s generosity, Winthrop officials will name the first floor conference room in theSims Science Buildingthe Slaughter-Wilkerson Conference Room. A dedication ceremony is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 6.

This is the second major planned gift announced by Winthrop University this month. The other gift, also in excess of $1 million, was a gift annuity from alumna Elizabeth Hope Reed `41,`51 of Asheville, N.C., for a scholarship program with a focus on community service.